Buildings and houses have pipe lines that need to be pressure tested in order to verify that the various joints in the pipe line do not leak. Such lines include water lines and drainage lines. This testing is typically done by hooking up a source of pressurized air or water to the line and filling the line. Because an open line will not hold the pressure for testing, the end(s) of each line must be capped or plugged prior to introducing the pressurized air or water. This is troublesome, and there is thus a need for an easier way to block the line for testing.
Further the line must frequently be tested in an intact state, after all joints have been fully assembled. If a single joint, or a series of joints are tested, this testing requires plugs to be introduced into the interior of the pipe via temporary openings which must be later closed and sealed. The current methods of achieving these temporary seals introduce significant and undesirable complications, including leaks, or spills. Moreover, several methods of temporarily sealing the line involve introducing inflatable balloon-like devices into the pipe via a fitting opening, inflating the balloon inside the line to seal the line for testing, and then removing the balloon and screwing a sealing cap into the opening through which the balloon was inserted. If the balloon is defective or over-inflated it can rupture and explode, with the potential for damage to the line or serious injury to the plumber. There is thus a need for a simpler, easier and safer way to temporarily block plumbing pipes for testing.
Moreover, current methods of introducing the pressurized fluid into the pipeline may require the plumber to do so from a location remote from the test and then return to the point of the test, or it may require two persons to accomplish the filling and testing. There is thus a need for a better way to pressurize and test lines, or portions of lines, by a single person at a single location.
The above and other objectives are achieved by providing a method and apparatus for pressure testing a pipe line wherein a fitting is inserted into the pipeline by attaching ends of the pipeline, or intermediate adapters, to opposing sides of the fitting to define a flow path through the fitting extending along a longitudinal axis. Where it is intended that the fitting is to be attached by inserting pipe ends into the fitting, a female socket is provided for each of the two pipe ends. Preferably, an internal boss is provided that extends around a circumference of the flow path and extends radially inward toward a centerline of the fitting a distance corresponding to the wall thickness of the mating male ends of the pipes so the pipes and boss define a periphery of the flow path through the fitting. A recess is formed in the boss to sequentially receive two slides. The boss is optional, and the recess could be formed in the wall of the fitting. An externally accessible port allows a test slide to be inserted into the recess, with the test slide sealing against the walls defining the recess to form a fluid-tight seal for pressure testing the line. The test slide is removed after completion of the pressure testing, and a finish slide is inserted into the recess, again via the external port. The finish slide has an opening located and configured to coincide with the flow path through the male ends of the pipes, while the portion of the finish slide surrounding the opening blocks the recess and thus provides a substantially uniform, cylindrical flow path through the fitting. At the same time, the finish slide is configured to seal the external port against leakage.
There is thus advantageously provided a pressure testing kit for testing the pressure in a pipe line. The kit can include various parts, but preferably includes a main fitting having at least one end adapted to connect to an end of a pipe or another fitting, each of which will be referred to here as a pipe. This allows alignment of a fluid passage of the adjoined pipe with a fluid passage extending through the main fitting. The main fitting has formed therein a port opening on an exterior side of the fitting and aligned with a recess extending around a circumference of the fluid passage in the main fitting. A first test slide is sized and configured to be removably inserted into the port and recess to block the flow of fluid through the main fitting. This first test slide is preferably re-usable, and is thus preferably, but optionally, included in the kit. The kit also preferably, but optionally, includes a second finish slide that is sized and configured to be inserted into the port and recess. The finish slide has an opening there through corresponding in size and shape to the fluid passage through the main fitting, to allow flow through the finish slide and the main fitting when the finish slide has been inserted into the port and recess. Preferably, the first test slide is provided with a fluid passage having a first end opening onto a surface of the slide exterior to the main fitting when the slide is inserted into the port and a second end opening into the fluid passage of the main fitting when the slide is inserted into the port. The first end is in fluid communication with a fitting configured and sized to receive an end of a hose supplying the pressurized fluid, such as an air hose or a garden hose. Alternatively, the fluid passage could be formed in a side of the fitting rather than being formed in the slide.
The invention makes use of a finish slide to seal the port used for inserting the test slide, to block the recess and to provide an acceptable contour through the fitting for fluid flow. There is thus provided a finish slide sized to be sealingly received in a recess. The finish slide has walls defining an opening located and configured to substantially coincide with the fluid passage and to block the recess when the slide is inserted into the port and recess.
The finish slide can also comprise a slide body having walls defining a circular opening corresponding to a first diameter of the fitting. The walls have a length measured along the longitudinal axis corresponding to the first distance, so that when the finish slide is inserted through the port into the recess, the walls defining the opening cooperate with the walls on opposing sides of the recess to provide a fluid passage having a substantially uniform diameter over the length of the fitting as measured along the longitudinal axis. The finish slide preferably has a flanged end located a predetermined distance from the opening in the slide, the distance being selected so that when the flange engages a portion of the fitting the opening is aligned with the fluid passage preferably to achieve a desired minimum amount of interruption of the flow through the fluid passage.
There is thus advantageously provided sealing means for sealing the recess while providing a substantially unobstructed flow passage at the location of the recess, the sealing means being inserted into the recess through the port. There is further advantageously provided testing means insertable through the port, prior to installing the finish sealing means, for blocking the flow of fluid through the fluid passage sufficiently to allow pressure testing of the pipe line. The testing means preferably includes sealing means to prevent or inhibit the flow of pressurized fluid through the port in the side of the fitting even as the testing means is partially removed from a position fully blocking the flow of fluid through the fitting. Further, a fill port preferably extends from outside the fitting to the fluid passage passing through the inside of the fitting and having a coupling adapted to connect to a source of pressurized fluid to pressurize the pipe line for testing. The fill port can be located on the testing slide, or on a side of the fitting.
There is also advantageously provided a method for use in pressure testing a pipe line. The method connects a pipe fitting having a fluid passage extending there through with an at least one end of the pipe line. The fitting has an externally accessible port. A first slide having opposing faces is inserted through the port into the fitting to engage a sealing surface on at least one face of the slide with a surface in the fluid passage. The slide is sized and configured and the sealing surfaces are located to block the fluid passage sufficiently to allow pressure testing of the pipe line. The pipe line is then pressure tested, the first slide removed, and a second slide inserted through the port into the fitting.
The second slide has an opening there through defined by walls, with the opening being sized and located so the walls form a portion of the fluid passage when the slide has been inserted into the fitting. Advantageously, the second slide is either permanently or securely but removably fastened to the fitting in a later operation. Further, the first slide is preferably provided with a fluid passage having a first end externally accessible and a second end in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the fitting so that fluid can be introduced from an external source through the fluid passage of the first slide and into the fluid passage of the fitting. Moreover, where the fitting is used with male pipe ends, the fitting is preferably provided with an internal boss around a circumference of the fluid passage so the boss extends radially inward toward the centerline, where the recess is preferably, but optionally, formed in the boss. The fitting is thus preferably connected to the pipe line by providing opposing ends of the fitting with female ends and inserting mating male ends of the pipeline into the female ends so the male ends abut the boss. The boss and male ends provide a substantially uniform diameter to the fluid passage through the fitting.
This invention is advantageously achieved by providing a kit for testing the pressure in a pipe line. The kit includes a main fitting having at least one end adapted to connect to an end of a pipe and align a fluid passage of the pipe with a fluid passage extending through the main fitting. The main fitting has a port opening on an exterior side of the fitting and aligned with a recess extending around an interior circumference of the fluid passage in the main fitting. The kit preferably includes a first test slide sized and configured to be removably inserted through the port and into the recess to block the flow of fluid through the main fitting. The kit also preferably includes a second finish slide sized and configured to be inserted into the port and recess to seal the port. The kit could include the fitting and test slide, the fitting and finish slide, or the fitting and both slides.
Preferably, the finish slide has an opening corresponding in size and shape to the fluid passage through the main fitting to allow flow through the finish slide when it has been inserted into the fitting, while providing a relatively uniform flow surface across both the finish slide opening and immediately adjacent portions of the main fitting. The test slide preferably has at least one lateral seal extending perpendicular to the direction of travel of the test slide as it is removed from the port, said lateral seal cooperating with the walls which define the port, for at least a portion of the test slide travel, in order to seal against fluid passage through the port from the interior of the fitting. Advantageously, the port has a rectangular cross-section, and so does the test slide. Advantageously, the test slide further has an edge around its periphery, with a seal located on the edge to engage a radially outward wall forming a portion of the recess and port. Moreover, both the test slide and finish slides are preferably tapered toward their distal end, with the distal end being that portion that enters the recess opposite the port. Advantageously, the main fitting has a pressurizing connection sized and configured to connect to a fluid source with the pressurizing connection being in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the main fitting.
It is preferred, but not required, that the fluid passage of the fitting have a boss extending toward a longitudinal centerline of the fitting, with the recess being formed in the boss. Further, the boss preferably has at least one side wall extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with a recess therein extending around a circumference of the flow path to receive expressed adhesive when pipes are inserted into the fitting and urged toward the boss.
This invention also comprises a method for use in pressure testing a pipe line. The method connects at least one end of a pipe fitting having a fluid passage there through to a pipe line to define a fluid flow path along a longitudinal axis. The fitting is provided with an externally accessible port. The first slide has opposing faces and is inserted through the port into the fitting to engage a sealing surface on at least one face of the slide with a surface in the fluid passage. The first slide is sized and configured and the sealing surfaces are located to block the fluid passage sufficiently to allow pressure testing of the pipe line. The pipe line is then pressure tested. The first slide is removed and a second slide is inserted through the port into the fitting to seal the port with the second slide. The second slide is configured so it seals the port but does not block flow through the fluid passage of the fitting. The port is then sealed against fluid flow out of the port, preferably by gluing the second slide to the port.
Advantageously, the method includes providing the fitting with a recess extending about a circumference of the flow path, with the first slide extending into the recess around the entire circumference to block the flow path. Moreover, the second slide preferably has an opening there through defined by walls, with this opening being sized and located to cooperate with the recess to block the recess and form a portion of the fluid passage when the second slide seals the port. Further, while the pressure for testing can be provided any where along the pipe line, it is advantageously provided through the fitting. The method thus preferably provides a fluid passage extending from outside to the inside of the fitting, with the fluid passage having a first end accessible externally of the fitting and having a second end in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the fitting so that fluid can be introduced from an external source into the fluid passage inside the fitting. Advantageously the fluid passage extends through the first slide, or alternatively the fluid passage extends through a wall of the fitting.
Advantageously the method provides the fitting with an internal boss around a circumference of the fluid passage so the boss extends radially inward toward the longitudinal axis and forms a recess in the boss. Further, the fitting is advantageously connected to the pipe line by providing opposing ends of the fitting with female ends and inserting mating male ends of the pipeline into the female ends so the male ends abut the boss, the boss and male ends providing a substantially uniform diameter to the fluid passage through the fitting. Moreover, a recess is advantageously formed in a side wall of the boss, said recess extending around a circumference of the flow path and configured to receive excess adhesive when a male end of the pipe line is urged toward the boss.
The method also preferably includes providing a circular sealing surface on at least one face of the first slide and further providing at least one lateral sealing surface forming a chord or chords on the circular sealing surface. The lateral sealing surfaces are located on the slide to engage walls defining the port to seal against the passage of fluid across the lateral seals when the first slide is partially removed from the port. The method also includes forming at least a portion of the recess larger than the first slide to define a debris trap between the fitting and a portion of the first slide. Moreover, the fitting is preferably made of a thermoplastic polymer (e.g., ABS, PVC, etc.) and adhered to the pipe line using an adhesive. The first slide is advantageously made of a material different in composition, and also preferably (but optionally) different in color, from the fitting and selected so the adhesive does not adhere to the first slide. In contrast, the second slide is preferably made of a material selected to be adhered to the fitting.
Further, the method and apparatus advantageously comprises placing an insert into the pipe fitting, with the insert defining the port through which the test and finish slides are inserted. This is especially useful for allowing test slides of one material, such as plastics, to be used with pipe fittings of a very different material, such as metal, e.g., cast iron. The insert further defines the recess extending about a circumference of the flow path into which the test slide and finish slides are inserted. Additionally, a cap can be provided to be placed over the first slide to allow partial opening of the fluid passage while preventing leakage of the pressurized fluid from the cap as the first slide is partially removed through the port and partially removing the first slide through the port and into the cap after pressure testing in order to relieve pressure in the pipe line. The cap has a cavity through which a shaft extends. One end of the shaft is connected to a handle and another end is connected to the test slide. A limit lock on one or more of the shaft, test slide and cap limits movement of the test slide to relieve pressure in the pipe line after pressure testing. Seals are provided around the cap and shaft to maintain pressure during testing.